Police harness DNA technique in effort to catch more moped-riding criminals
PCSO Justin Piercy, of North Yorkshire Police, demonstrates the SelectaDNA tagging spray. A YORKSHIRE police force has become the latest to adopt DNA technology in the battle against anti-social moped and motorcycle riders.
Amid fierce debate around the Metropolitan Police’s sanctioning of ramming techniques to knock over moped-riding thieves, officers in North Yorkshire are opting for an alternative method – the use of a spray liquid containing a unique DNA code to ‘tag’ riders.
It marks the bikes, clothing and skin of riders and passengers with a uniquely-coded but invisible DNA that will provide forensic evidence to link them to a specific crime.
The spray shows up blue under special UV lights and can still be detected after washing. It is already being used by 14 other forces in the UK, including West Yorkshire Police.
The £2,500 roll-out in North Yorkshire is being funded from money seized from criminals under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
PC Tom Ibbetson said:
“As we have seen in other parts of the country, the use of SelectaDNA tagging spray is a very effective and safe police tactic in evidentially linking people on mopeds and off-road motorcycles to criminality and anti-social behaviour.”
Meanwhile, West Yorkshire Police yesterday announced it was tripling the size of a team targeting rogue riders in Wakefield, from two to six.